BOISE, ID – The Idaho Steelheads (29-20-8-1, 67pts) fell to the Tahoe Knight Monsters (35-20-4-1, 75pts) Friday night by a final score of 2-1 in front of 5,206 fans at the Idaho Central Arena, the 62nd consecutive regular season sell-out crowd. Idaho and Tahoe will close out the series in Boise Saturday night at 7:10 p.m.
Bear Hughes gave the Knight Monsters a 1-0 lead at 3:58 of the second period. At 10:14 Wade Murphy (6th) tied the game from Ty Pelton-Byce and Hank Crone. From behind the Idaho blue line Crone fed Pelton-Byce down the left wing. Pelton-Byce then fed Murphy streaking through the high slot where tipped it past the glove of Jordan Papirny.
With 39 seconds to play in regulation Patrick Newell would strike for the game winner handing the Knight Monsters a 2-1 win.
Ben Kraws made 37 saves in the loss while Jordan Papirny made 26 saves in the win.
ICCU Three Stars
1) Patrick Newell (TAH)
2) Ben Kraws (IDH)
3) Bear Hughes (TAH)
GAME NOTES
- Idaho finished 0-for-2 on the power-play while Tahoe was 0-for-1.
- Tahoe outshot Idaho 39-27.
- C.J. Walker (IR), Patrick Kudla (IR), Mark Olver (IR), Ryan Foss (INJ), and Demetrios Koumontzis (DNP) did not dress for Idaho.
- Ty Pelton-Byce has a point in nine of his last 10 games (5-9-14).
- Christophe Fillion made his professional debut for Idaho.
- Patrick Moynihan led all Idaho skaters with five shots.
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